Some more information about the Battle of Ramillies - RAMILLIES 1706 RAMILLIES 1706 Rechercher dans ce site Navigation Plan du site SUMMARY A MAJOR HISTORICAL LANDMARK of the British and the European History is endangered by the possible implantation on the site itself of a field of 17 huge windmills, more than 450 feet high each. It is the well-known battlefield of Ramillies ( The Allies with the Earl of Marlborough against the French and the marshal of Villeroy ). On the 27th of november 2008, this project was presented in the community of Eghezee which communal border is one the limit of the battlefield mostly situated in the next community : Ramillies. Ramillies is now located in the province of roman Brabant and Eghezee in the next province of Namur. The actual limit of the battlefield in 1706 was the river Mehaigne ( from the late latin word mehana meaning "mean, bad tempered, violent...") and so the field is on the territory of the both present communities.

The site is also of great interest in the matter of birdwatching, and for the presence on the battlefield of the Hottomont's tomb, the greatest gallo-roman funeral mound in Belgium along the roman way Bavay-Cologne with no buildings around. The so-called Tomb was also the promontory where the HQ of marshal of Villeroy was installed during the battle of Ramillies. You will find more information on the website. Please take some of your time for signing the petition against this bad project. We thank you all. SAMENVATTING Onze historische landschappen en de milieuomgeving van onze kinderen en kleinkinderen zijn bedreigd door een anarchistische bouw van windmolenparken, Het is van uiterst belang om te reageren en om zich te verzetten tegen dergelijke projecten. Ze vormen een bedreiging en onze reaktie moet als jurisprudentie dienen. De bescherming van bepaalde landschappen moet in de juridische sfeer van België en haar gewesten gebracht worden .

Kunt u zich inbeelden, dat er om wille van economische redenen, een windmolenpark op het Ijzerplein of op het slagveld van Waterloo aangelegd zou worden? Neen, natuurlijk niet! Doch kan zoiets blijkbaar toch wel gebeuren... Op een paar kilometer van de taalgrens ligt het beroemde slagveld van Ramillies in een brabantse driehoek tussen Tienen-Geldenaken, Perwijs en Eghezee, op het einde van het plateau Haspengauwe. Dit slagveld is welliswaar voornamelijk bekend in de angelsaksische landen. Het is de plaats waar Graaf Malbroek ( John Churchill, first Earl of Marlborough ) en zijn bondgenoten ( Preussers, Hollanders enz...) de overwinning behaalde tegen de franse troepen o.l.v. Marechal de Villeroy in 1706 te Ramillies.

Dit slagveld, dat tot nog toe, bijna volledig in zijn originele staat behouden gebleven is en waarvan de historische waarde even hoog is als die van Waterloo, is helemaal niet beschermd! En nu wordt deze uitzonderlijke site bedreigd door een project die de constructie voorziet van een park met 17 megareuze windmolens (elk hoger dan 140 meter). Dit zou deze site natuurlijk helemaal ontaarden. Daarenboven is deze regio ook merkwaardig als landschap en voor zijn belang als 'birdwatchingsoort'. Dé plaats in Brabant gewaardeerd en erkend door alle vogelliefhebbers van België. De uitzionderlijke en waardevolle populaties aan vogels zijn eveneens volledig bedreigd door dit project van de windmolens ! Op de site van het slagveld van Ramillies bevindt zich eveneens de « Begraafplaats van Hottomont », de grootste gallo-romeinse tumulus van België.

Dit is erkend als waardevol patrimonium van België en anderzijds bevindt zich hier eveneens een groot stuk van de romeinse steenweg Baafs-Keulen ( op de lijst van het wereldpatrimonium van de Unesco : World heritage ), zonder enige bebouwing rondom. Gedurende de slag van Ramillies van 1706 was deze tumulus het hoogste punt van deze haspegauwse vlakte waarop Marechal de Villeroy zijn HK geplaatst had. Voor het behoud van een historisch zeer waardevolle en uitzonnderlijke site, zowel op het vlak van cultureel patrimonium als om reden van natuurbehoud, is het van uiterst belang dat éénieder zich verzet tegen dit projekt. Steun onze aktie en onderteken de petitie in bijlage ten voordele van het behoud van een historisch landschap!

Some more information about the Battle of Ramillies Detailed report about the battle see : The viewpoint of Marlborough And one of the best sites concerning the battle of Ramillies is surely : The Battle of Ramillies was fought under the command of the Duke of Marlbourgh during the War of the Spanish Succession. He led his Army of 60.000 British, Dutch and Danish Troops against Villeroy's slightly larger army of French, Spanish and Bavarians. The two armies met on the great plain of Flanders, the plain of Waterloo and Mons, and the focus of their meeting was Ramillies. It was on Whit Sunday, May 23rd 1706, that Marlbourgh's Army marched to battle through a dark night of fog and rain. At ten in the morning, when they had been marching for six hours, the mist cleared away, and the advance party halted on rising ground and saw spread before them the whole of Villeroy's army in battle order. Marlbourgh began with a feint, advancing the British foot on his extreme right against the French left wing.

The feint was effective, for Villeroy drew off many units from other parts of his line to reinforce his left. The British foot were then withdrawn carefully behind some high ground, and returned to the centre, out of sight of the enemy. The first phase of the battle was fought by the cavalry, charging and counter-charging. During this Marlbourgh was nearly captured. Whist this was taking place the Infantry fought a long battle at Ramillees itself. It was a strongly defended position on high ground, and the access was steep and broken, except on one side, where a long, gradual slope gave the defenders a perfect field of fire. The Infantry fought their way up this slope in spite of heavy casualties, fought their way into Ramillies itself, and finally, after furious hand-to-hand fighting, drove the French out. After this action the Infantry took part in the pursuit, they marched far into the night, slept for an hour or two by their arms, and at three in the morning they were on the move again., they overtook broken enemy units and stragglers extracting the last ounce from their victory. This became the Regiments first Battle honour. .

According to Wikipedia, the Dukedom was created in 1702 by Queen Anne ; John Churchill, whose wife was a favourite of the Queen, had earlier been made Lord Churchill of Eyemouth in the Scottish peerage (1682), which became extinct with his death, and Earl of Marlborough (1689) by King William III . Anne further honoured Churchill, after his leadership of the victories against the French of 13 August 1704 near the village of Blenheim (German Blindheim) on the Danube River ( Battle of Blenheim ), by granting him the royal manor of Woodstock, and building him a house at her own expense to be called Blenheim. It was commenced in 1705 and was completed in 1722, the year of his death. Blenheim Palace remains the Marlborough ducal seat. The first Duke was also honoured with Imperial titles: Emperor Joseph I created him a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire in 1704, and in 1705, he was created Imperial Prince of Mindelheim (once the lordship of the noted soldier Georg von Frundsberg ).

However, he was obliged to surrender Mindelheim in 1714 by the Treaty of Utrecht , which returned it to Bavaria . According to some sources, he received the principality of Mellenburg in exchange. Regardless, his Imperial titles did not pass to his daughters, so became extinct on his death in 1722. The Duke of Marlborough holds certain subsidiary titles: Marquess of Blandford (created 1702), Earl of Sunderland (1643), Earl of Marlborough (1689), Baron Spencer of Wormleighton (1603), Baron Churchill of Eyemouth (1682) and Baron Churchill of Sandridge (1685) (all are in the English peerage.) The title Marquess of Blandford is used as the courtesy title for the Duke's eldest son and heir. The Duke's eldest son's eldest son in turn can use the courtesy title Earl of Sunderland. The later Dukes of Marlborough are descended from the first duke, but not in the male line. Because the first duke had no surviving sons, the title was allowed (by a special Act of Parliament ) to pass to his eldest daughter in her own right.

A younger daughter, Lady Anne Churchill , married Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland (c. 1674–1722), and from this marriage descend the modern Dukes of Marlborough. They therefore originally bore the surname Spencer . However, George Spencer, the 5th Duke of Marlborough, obtained a Royal Licence to assume and bear the additional surname and arms of his famous ancestor, the 1st Duke of Marlborough, and thus became George Spencer-Churchill. This double-barrelled surname has remained in the family to this day, though some of the most famous members have preferred to style themselves as merely "Churchill". The Dukedom of Marlborough is the only Dukedom in the United Kingdom that can still pass in the female line. However, the Dukedom does not follow male-preference primogeniture as most other peerages that can pass in the female line do. It actually follows a kind of Semi- Salic Law .

The succession for the Dukedom is as follows: The heirs-male of the 1st Duke's body lawfully begotten; his oldest daughter and the heirs-male of her body lawfully begotten; his second and other daughters, in seniority, and the heirs-male of their bodies lawfully begotten; his oldest daughter's oldest daughter and the heirs male of her body lawfully begotten; all other daughters of his daughters and the heirs male of their bodies; and other descendants into the future in like fashion, with the intent that the Marlborough title never become extinct. However, it is now very unlikely that the Dukedom will be inherited in the female line again, as all the male heirs of Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland—including the line of the Earls Spencer as well as the Spencer-Churchill family—would have to go extinct. If that were to happen, the Churchill titles would pass to the Duke of Bedford as heir-male of Diana Russell, duchess of Bedford, a sister of the third Duke of Marlborough.

Should Diana's male issue go extinct, the next in line is the Earl of Jersey , the heir-male of Anne Villiers, Countess of Jersey, daughter of Elizabeth Egerton, Duchess of Bridgwater, a younger daughter of the first Duke. The 7th Duke of Marlborough was the paternal grandfather of the British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill (who was born at Blenheim Palace ). The present Duke of Marlborough is John George Vanderbilt Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough . The title of Earl of Marlborough, which was created for Churchill in 1689, had been created one time previously in British history, for James Ley , in 1626. This title had become extinct in 1679. The meaning of the motto Fiel pero desdichado (Faithful but unfortunate) may allude to the first duke's losing his home and lands as a consequence of his loyalty to the king. Unusually, it is in the Spanish language rather than Latin , possibly because the first duke was honored after the battle of Blenheim , decisive in the War of the Spanish Succession .

Philadelphia Museum of Art - Collections Object : The Battle of Ramillies Enter a comma-separated list of keywords or phrases that best describe this object to make it more accessible during searches. Please check your spelling. Label: This tile picture depicts a battle that took place in Ramillies, a village in Brabant province in the Spanish Netherlands (modern Belgium), in May 1706. This battle was an important event in the War of the Spanish Succession, which arose from a dispute between English, Dutch, and French rulers over the succession to the throne of Spain. John Churchill, duke of Marlborough, commanded allied English and Dutch troops; François de Neufville, duke of Villeroi, led an equal number of opposing French forces. The French arrived at Ramillies first but quickly lost their advantage; Villeroi unwisely stationed them along the entire length of a four-mile ridge. When Marlborough launched a powerful attack on the French left, Villeroi was forced to pull reinforcements from the center of his line. Marlborough then redirected half the troops from the left flank assault to attack the now-weakened French center. Undetected until it was too late, Marlborough's forces defeated Villeroi's overextended army.

Both sides sustained thousands of casualties, but French losses were at least three times those of the English and Dutch. Although the victory at Ramillies seemed decisive, peace was not achieved until 1714. A tile picture of this size would have been made as a special commission, most likely to commemorate someone who showed exceptional valor at the battle of Ramillies. The holes at the bottom of the picture are, appropriately, bullet holes. RAMILLIES 1706 RAMILLIES 1706 Rechercher dans ce site Navigation Vers le saccage du site exceptionnel de la bataille de Ramillies en 2009 ? sur la plaine dite de Boneffe-Nord : des éoliennes à EGHEZEE ? Plan du site SUMMARY A MAJOR HISTORICAL LANDMARK of the British and the European History is endangered by the possible implantation on the site itself of a field of 17 huge windmills, more than 450 feet high each. It is the well-known battlefield of Ramillies ( The Allies with the Earl of Marlborough against the French and the marshal of Villeroy ).

On the 27th of november 2008, this project was presented in the community of Eghezee which communal border is one the limit of the battlefield mostly situated in the next community : Ramillies. Ramillies is now located in the province of roman Brabant and Eghezee in the next province of Namur. The actual limit of the battlefield in 1706 was the river Mehaigne ( from the late latin word mehana meaning "mean, bad tempered, violent...") and so the field is on the territory of the both present communities. The site is also of great interest in the matter of birdwatching, and for the presence on the battlefield of the Hottomont's tomb, the greatest gallo-roman funeral mound in Belgium along the roman way Bavay-Cologne with no buildings around. The so-called Tomb was also the promontory where the HQ of marshal of Villeroy was installed during the battle of Ramillies. You will find more information on the website. Please take some of your time for signing the petition against this bad project. We thank you all.

SAMENVATTING Onze historische landschappen en de milieuomgeving van onze kinderen en kleinkinderen zijn bedreigd door een anarchistische bouw van windmolenparken, Het is van uiterst belang om te reageren en om zich te verzetten tegen dergelijke projecten. Ze vormen een bedreiging en onze reaktie moet als jurisprudentie dienen. De bescherming van bepaalde landschappen moet in de juridische sfeer van België en haar gewesten gebracht worden . Kunt u zich inbeelden, dat er om wille van economische redenen, een windmolenpark op het Ijzerplein of op het slagveld van Waterloo aangelegd zou worden? Neen, natuurlijk niet! Doch kan zoiets blijkbaar toch wel gebeuren... Op een paar kilometer van de taalgrens ligt het beroemde slagveld van Ramillies in een brabantse driehoek tussen Tienen-Geldenaken, Perwijs en Eghezee, op het einde van het plateau Haspengauwe.

Dit slagveld is welliswaar voornamelijk bekend in de angelsaksische landen. Het is de plaats waar Graaf Malbroek ( John Churchill, first Earl of Marlborough ) en zijn bondgenoten ( Preussers, Hollanders enz...) de overwinning behaalde tegen de franse troepen o.l.v. Marechal de Villeroy in 1706 te Ramillies. Dit slagveld, dat tot nog toe, bijna volledig in zijn originele staat behouden gebleven is en waarvan de historische waarde even hoog is als die van Waterloo, is helemaal niet beschermd! En nu wordt deze uitzonderlijke site bedreigd door een project die de constructie voorziet van een park met 17 megareuze windmolens (elk hoger dan 140 meter). Dit zou deze site natuurlijk helemaal ontaarden. Daarenboven is deze regio ook merkwaardig als landschap en voor zijn belang als 'birdwatchingsoort'.

Dé plaats in Brabant gewaardeerd en erkend door alle vogelliefhebbers van België. De uitzionderlijke en waardevolle populaties aan vogels zijn eveneens volledig bedreigd door dit project van de windmolens ! Op de site van het slagveld van Ramillies bevindt zich eveneens de « Begraafplaats van Hottomont », de grootste gallo-romeinse tumulus van België. Dit is erkend als waardevol patrimonium van België en anderzijds bevindt zich hier eveneens een groot stuk van de romeinse steenweg Baafs-Keulen ( op de lijst van het wereldpatrimonium van de Unesco : World heritage ), zonder enige bebouwing rondom. Gedurende de slag van Ramillies van 1706 was deze tumulus het hoogste punt van deze haspegauwse vlakte waarop Marechal de Villeroy zijn HK geplaatst had.

Voor het behoud van een historisch zeer waardevolle en uitzonnderlijke site, zowel op het vlak van cultureel patrimonium als om reden van natuurbehoud, is het van uiterst belang dat éénieder zich verzet tegen dit projekt. Steun onze aktie en onderteken de petitie in bijlage ten voordele van het behoud van een historisch landschap! Les ornithologues et les protecteurs de l'environnement s'agitent depuis le 27 novembre 2008. En pièce jointe ( pdf ) le plan d'implantation de 17 éoliennes à la limite d'Eghezée ... Une séance d'information a eu lieu le jeudi suivant dans l'entité. Pas de pitié : c'est la totalité de la Plaine de Boneffe nord qui sera détruite avec une densité d'implantation inouïe et une taille de moulins encore jamais vue jusqu'à présent ... 150 mètres de haut, la moitié de la Tour Eiffel !

Le dossier sera transmis aux auteurs de l'EIE c'est-à-dire le Bureau d'études CSD : comme d'habitude l'EIE va se dérouler sur une période d'à peine six mois à dater de décembre ce qui la rendra absolument non-représentative sur le plan environnemental du point de vue des relevés de terrain (les mois de août / septembre ne seront pas couverts et ce sont évidemment les plus importants). Or, ces vastes étendues dénuées de toutes constructions humaines sont fréquentées en automne et au printemps par des milliers d'oiseaux migrateurs (rapaces et limicoles) qui y effectuent des haltes en vue de se nourrir. La plaine héberge également les dernières populations régionales stables du Bruant proyer, un passereau typique des zones agricoles hélas fort menacé dans notre pays, sans compter le récent retour comme nicheur du splendide Busard cendré dont la dynamique de repeuplement serait gravement menacée si ce projet voit le jour.

& Mais il y a beaucoup plus grave encore. A cette dégradation de l'environnement sur le plan de la biodiversité, s'ajoutera une agression irréversible et fatale sur un site historique majeur, providentiellement préservé jusqu'à nos jours. Car cette "plaine de Boneffe nord" ( c'est plus banal et ne veut pas dire grand'chose.... ) correspond en fait au site historique de la bataille de Ramillies ( 23 mai 1706 : 17.000 morts suivant certaines sources ), à côté du plus beau tumulus de Belgique, la tombe d'Hottomont , inscrite au patrimoine majeur de Wallonie ! Ce site gallo-romain est limité par la chaussée romaine Bavay-Cologne appelée aussi chaussée Brunehaut qui traverse le champ de bataille, inscrite auprès de l'Unesco en tant que candidat au patrimoine mondial ( World Heritage ).

Par chance insigne, ce site est resté préservé d'habitations et hormis la disparitions des haies, quasiment dans l'état où il était au XVIIIè siècle. Le panorama est extra-ordinaire et le champ vaut largement celui de Waterloo. Les sites de bataille sont connus en Belgique mais assez peu mis en valeur hormis précisément le site de Waterloo. Contrairement au site de Waterloo, le site de la bataille de Ramillies malheureusement ne semble ni classé ni protégé. Peut-être faut-il mettre les associations historiques anglaises et britanniques en branle : le souvenir de la bataille de Ramillies en 1706 et victoire du Duc de Malborough, ancêtre de Winston Churchill sur le maréchal de Villeroy y est encore prégnant. Si les éoliennes sont visibles depuis le site de la bataille, c'est tout le site qui sera défiguré depuis la tombe d'Hottomont qui servait de promontoire aux troupes françaises lors de cette bataille.

La mémoire de cette bataille et du champ y attenant est conservée par le Régiment du Worcestershire C'était leur première bataille en effet. Un des meilleurs sites concernant cette bataille est trouvé à l'adresse suivante : L'alerte a immédiatement été donnée auprès du , organisation de défense et de protection des champs de batailles britanniques pour alerter l'opinion outre-Manche. L'intérêt des Britanniques et des Américains ne s'est jamais démenti vis-à-vis de ce site au cours des siècles. Ils sont toujours surpris de l'état de ce champ de bataille connu chez eux à l'égal de celui de Waterloo. Le nom de Ramillies se retrouve dans toutes les villes d'Angleterre , et de multiples navires britanniques ont porté ce nom au cours des 1ere et 2ème guerres mondiales. Lors de la construction de la ligne de chemin de fer de Tamines à Landen en 1862, l'entrepreneur Ecossais E.

Preston insista pour que la ligne passe en partie sur le territoire de Ramillies afin d'y construire une gare du même nom, celle-là même qui allait devenir "la Croix de Hesbaye". Le tricentenaire de la bataille a été fêté avec une relative discrétion en 2006 . Il ne semblait pas qu'à Eghezée on fût au courant de l'intérêt historique du site... Pourtant ce site mérite sûrement un classement, une mise en valeur touristique outre son intérêt écologique et environnemental évident. Le parc à éolienne occuperait sur la carte ci-dessus la position des troupes "alliées" conduite par Marlborough ( le Malbrouc des chansons enfantines, Mambru pour les espagnols...etc ). La politique de protection des champs de bataille est toute autre dans les pays anglo-saxons. La mémoire de ce bataillon est forte même aux USA à Boston p.ex.

( #reenact ) ou mieux encore Tous les sites de bataille anglais et américains sont strictement protégés ( le site de Culloden p.ex. ) ou les sites de la guerre de Sécession aux States et en Virginie. C'est grâce au duc de Wellington d'ailleurs que le champ de bataille de Waterloo est toujours intact jusqu'aujourd'hui.... malgré que situé en Belgique. Il faut absolument se mobiliser contre ce projet dévastateur et qui rendra une nouvelle fois la Belgique ridicule aux yeux du monde. PETITION INTERNATIONALE 2009 - INTERNATIONALE PETITIE 2009 - INTERNATIONAL PETITION 2009 N'OUBLIEZ PAS DE SIGNER LA PETITION POUR LA SAUVEGARDE DE CE SITE EXCEPTIONNEL : d'avance merci. Et faites-le savoir autour de vous... PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST THE FORESEEABLE DESTRUCTION OF THIS HISTORICAL LANDMARK OF THE BRITISH HISTORY : many thanks. And let it know all around you... WILT U ONZE AKTIE STEUNEN ?

ONDERTEKEN DAN DE PETITIE IN BIJLAGE a.u.b. Dank bij voorbaat. En laat het weten rondom U... Pour suivre l'actualité du projet, vous pouvez vous abonner au flux RSS du site: Merci pour votre soutien indéfectible. Par ailleurs au-delà du 12 décembre 2008 , date ultime de l'envoi de lettres de plainte à l'occasion de l'enquête préliminaire, à la maison communale d'Eghezée & au Collège échevinal et simultanément à Air Energy, promoteur éolien, il conviendra de se mobiliser davantage encore contre ce projet. Nous vous tiendrons bien entendu au courant des actions envisagées. Il s'agit bien entendu ici d'une action citoyenne et apolitique, loin de toute implication politicienne ou autre et qui se veut respectueuse - de la nature et de l'environnement au sens large ( e.a. ornithologique ) - du patrimoine et de la culture ( e.a.

historique ) Trop d'erreurs ont déjà été commises en effet en Belgique pour des intérêts économiques à court terme, dont nous avons honte tous les jours. C'est pour cela qu'il s'agit d'une action non pas seulement locale ou régionale, pas uniquement brabançonne ou namuroise, pas seulement wallonne ou belge, mais universelle appelant au bon sens citoyen de tous ceux qui se sentent responsable de leur environnement vis-à-vis notamment de ceux qui leur succéderont demain.

A noter qu'une pétition polémique en faveur (!) de l'implantation d'éoliennes sans faire référence explicite à cet endroit sensible ( sauf dans son titre ) faisant partie de notre patrimoine commun, a été naturellement lancée ; elle ne répond bien sûr à aucun des arguments développés : Battle of Ramillies Battle of Ramillies The Duke of Marlborough’s second victory in the field over the French army of Louis XIV: probably as great a success as Blenheim The Duke of Marlborough and his staff at the Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: piccture by Laguerre: Colonel Brinfield lies in the right foreground.

Queen Anne: Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession The previous battle of the War of the Spanish Succession is the Battle of Blenheim The next battle of the War of the Spanish Succession is the Battle of Oudenarde To the War of the Spanish Succession index War: Spanish Succession Date of the Battle of Ramillies: 12th May 1706 (Old Style) (23rdMay 1706 New Style). The dates in this page are given in the Old Style. Place of the Battle of Ramillies: Flanders. Combatants at the Battle of Ramillies: British, Dutch, Austrians, Hanoverians, Prussians and Danes against the French and Bavarians. Scots, Irish, Swiss and Germans fought in the battle on both sides. Generals at the Battle of Ramillies: The Duke of Marlborough against the French Marshal Villeroi.

John Churchill Duke of Marlborough: Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession Size of the armies at the Battle of Ramillies: The Allied army comprised 62,000 troops (74 battalions, 123 squadrons and 120 guns and mortars) while the French army comprised 60,000 troops (70 battalions, 132 squadrons and 70 pieces of artillery). Uniforms, arms and equipment at the Battle of Ramillies: The British Army of Queen Anne comprised troops of Horse Guards, regiments of horse, dragoons, Foot Guards and foot. In time of war the Department of Ordnance provided companies of artillery, the guns drawn by the horses of civilian contractors. These types of formation were largely standard throughout Europe. In addition the Austrian Empire possessed numbers of irregular light troops; Hussars from Hungary and Bosniak and Pandour troops from the Balkans. During the 18th Century the use of irregulars spread to other armies until every European force employed hussar regiments and light infantry for scouting duties.

Duc de Villeroy: Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: picture by Alexandre-François Caminade Horse and dragoons carried swords and short flintlock muskets. Dragoons had largely completed their transition from mounted infantry to cavalry and were formed into troops rather than companies as had been the practice in the past. However they still used drums rather than trumpets for field signals. Infantry regiments fought in line, armed with flintlock musket and bayonet, orders indicated by the beat of drum. The field unit for infantry was the battalion comprising ten companies, each commanded by a captain, the senior company being of grenadiers. Drill was rudimentary and once battle began formations quickly broke up. The practice of marching in step was in the future. The paramount military force of the period was the French army of Louis XIV, the Sun King. France was at the apex of her power, taxing to the utmost the disparate groupings of European countries that struggled to keep the Bourbons on the western bank of the Rhine and north of the Pyrenees.

Marlborough and his British regiments acted as an uncertain mortar in keeping the edifice of the Imperial cause in Flanders intact. The War of the Spanish Succession was an early outing for the new British Army established after the Restoration in 1685. The regiments that took the field were the forebears of powerful Victorian institutions; Foot Guards, King’s Horse, Royal Dragoons, Royal Scots, Buffs, Royal Welch Fusiliers, Cameronians, Royal Scots Fusiliers and several other prestigious corps. Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: picture by Jan van Huchtenburg: click here to buy this picture Britain fell behind its continental enemies and allies in many respects. There was no formal military education for officers of the Army, competence coming from experience on the field of battle. Commissions in the horse, dragoons and foot were acquired by purchase, permitting the wealthy to achieve often unmerited promotion.

French regiments of 1706: Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: click here to buy this picture Support services were not formally established and depended on the commander. A major contributing feature to the Duke of Marlborough’s success in the field was his concern that his soldiers be properly supplied and by his consummate ability to organise and administer that supply. While every army had formal and explicit rank structures the realities of command and influence were still largely decided by social standing, particularly between armies of different nationality. It was a matter of necessity for John Churchill to have the status of Duke of Marlborough to enable him to exercise decisive influence over the fractious foreign officers he had to work with and over some of his own nationality. In reality his status as duke, while probably of greater significance than his military rank of Captain General, was insufficient to enable him to act as a true commander-in-chief rather than as quasi-chairman of a committee of Dutch, Austrian and British generals.

The uniform of the British Regiments was the long red coat turned back at the lapels and cuffs to show the facings of the regimental colour; dark blue for guards and royal regiments; yellow, green, white or buff for many of the others. The Royal Horse Guards wore blue uniforms; as did the artillery, an organization not yet incorporated into the army proper. Carabiniers at the Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: click here to buy this picture Headgear was the tricorne hat, except for the company of grenadiers in each battalion of foot, the Horse Grenadier Guards, the Royal North British Dragoons (Scots Greys), the three regiments of fusiliers (Royal, Royal North British and Royal Welch) and the drummers of dragoons and foot, all of whom wore the mitre cap. For the infantry a cross belt carried the cartridge case hanging on the right hip. A second cross belt carried the bayonet and hanger sword. Ammunition, carried in the cartridge case, comprised cartridges of paper wrap containing the ball and gunpowder.

French Infantry: Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: picture by Jean Anthoine Watteau For the other European armies national uniforms were in their infancy. The Danish infantry wore grey coats and breeches with green stockings. Some Danish cavalry regiments wore the old buff coats. Hanoverian regiments had taken to wearing red coats. The Prussian army wore dark blue. The Dutch army wore a motley of uniforms although the Guards wore blue and were referred to as the Blue Guards. The native French regiments wore white coats. The foreign regiments in French service, the Scots, Irish and Swiss wore red coats. Winner of the Battle of Ramillies: Decisively the army of the Duke of Marlborough. George Hamilton Earl of Orkney: Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession British Regiments at the Battle of Ramillies: King’s Regiment of Horse; later the King’s Dragoon Guards and now the 2nd Queen’s Dragoon Guards.

3rd Regiment of Horse; later the 3rd Dragoon Guards, then the 3rd Carabineers and now the Royal Dragoon Guards. 5th Regiment of Horse; later the 5th Dragoon Guards, then the 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and now the Royal Dragoon Guards. 6th Regiment of Horse; later the 6th Dragoon Guards, then the 3rd Carabineers and now the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. 7th Regiment of Horse; later the 7th Dragoon Guards, then the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and now the Royal Dragoon Guards. Royal North British Regiment of Dragoons; the Royal Scots Greys and now the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. 5th Dragoons; later the 5th Lancers, then the 16th/5th Royal Lancers and now the Royal Lancers. 1st Regiment of Foot Guards; now the Grenadier Guards. The Royal Regiment; now the Royal Scots. 3rd Foot, the Buffs; now the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. 8th King’s Foot; now the King’s Regiment.

10th Foot; later the Lincolnshire Regiment and now the Royal Anglian Regiment. 15th Foot; later the East Yorkshire Regiment and now the Prince of Wales’s Regiment of Yorkshire. British 16th Foot charging at the Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: picture by Richard Simkin: click here to buy this picture 16th Foot; later the Bedfordshire Regiment and now the Royal Anglian Regiment. 18th Foot, Royal Irish Regiment; disbanded in 1922. Royal Scots Fusiliers. 24th Foot; later the South Wales Borderers and now the Royal Regiment of Wales. 26th Foot, the Cameronians; later the Scottish Rifles, disbanded in 1968. 28th Foot; later the Gloucestershire Regiment and now the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment. 29th Foot; later the Worcestershire Regiment and now the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment. 37th Foot: later the Royal Hampshire Regiment and now the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. Royal Artillery.

Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: click here to buy this picture Background to the Battle of Ramillies: Following the great victory of Blenheim on the Danube in 1704 and the collapse of King Louis XIV’s grand plan to overwhelm the Austrian Empire by taking Vienna, the focus of the war for Britain returned to Flanders and Brabant, modern Belgium. In April 1706 the Duke of Marlborough returned to the Low Countries for the campaigning season to find the French army under Marshal Villeroi established behind the defensive line of the Dyle River and showing few signs of moving from this safe position. There seemed little prospect of a decisive field action that year. Marlborough leaked stories to the French high command that he intended to attack the important fortress town of Namur. To his surprise Villeroi’s army began a forward move. While perhaps the Namur story influenced the French marshal, his move was more likely prompted by stinging letters from King Louis requiring some action in Flanders to restore French prestige, severely damaged by the Battle of Blenheim. Marlborough hurried his army forward the meet the French and Bavarians.

Map of the Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: map by John Fawkes Account of the Battle of Ramillies: On 11th May 1706 General Cadogan, Marlborough’s quartermaster general marched in advance of the main army to set up the next day’s camp at the village of Ramillies. As the morning mist dissolved Cadogan, observing the countryside from a point of vantage saw the French army encamped in the open ground before him. Marlborough soon came up with an advanced guard of cavalry and the opposing armies prepared for battle. Villeroi’s army adopted an arc shaped position that ran from the River Mehaigne on its right flank up a slope to the village of Ramillies and from there in a continuing curve behind the marshy Little Gete River to the village of Autre Eglise on its extreme left. The French were busy fortifying the villages of Tavier on the River Mehaigne, Ramillies in the centre of their line, Offuz further to the left and Autre Eglise, garrisoning them with infantry and guns.

The length of the French line was some four miles. First Foot Guards at the Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession As at Blenheim the pinning of the French to these fortified strongpoints would hamper the movement of troops along the line and enable Marlborough to choose the decisive point of attack. Villeroi compounded these difficulties by allowing his army’s substantial baggage train to remain too close to the French line further impeding movement. Marlborough began the battle with an attack by British, Dutch and German regiments of foot commanded by Lord Orkney against the French left in the area of Autre Eglise. The marshy ground and the Little Gete made this a tricky operation and Marlborough soon ended the assault, ordering the regiments to return to the hilly ground to the East of the Little Gete, but not before Villeroi had drawn significant infantry forces from his centre to reinforce his left against the attack. It is said that Marlborough intended this assault to be a feint. Once the British Foot regained the hills part of the force defiled off to the left to join the subsequent attack on Ramillies.

These regiments were ordered to leave their colour parties on the right to confuse the French into thinking there remained a threat in that area. On the left flank four Dutch battalions moved forward along the bank of the Mehaigne River to attack the villages of Franquinay and Taviers, while a substantially larger force of foot attacked Ramillies in the French centre, held by the Irish Regiments in the French service, Dorrington’s, Lee’s and Clare’s with seventeen further battalions. Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: picture by Henri Dupray: click here to buy this picture While these infantry attacks got under way the veteran Dutch General Auverquerque moved into the ground between these villages with a strong force of cavalry. Once the two villages on the bank of the Mehaigne were in allied hands and Ramillies masked by the infantry attack, Auverquerque launched his cavalry at the French horse to his front. There then followed a number of massed cavalry mêlées with the advantage swinging from one side to the other. Marlborough brought up mounted regiments from the right wing and plunged with them into the combat.

In the confused fighting the Duke was himself attacked by a party of French dragoons and unhorsed. He was rescued by his aide de camp, Captain Molesworth. During the incident Colonel Brinfield, Marlborough’s secretary was killed by a canon shot as he assisted the Duke to remount. French soldiers after the battle: Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: picture by Jean Anthoine Watteau A decisive thrust was now delivered by the Duke of Württemberg, leading a force of Danish Horse and Dutch Guards along the bank of the Mehaigne and around Villeroi’s right flank. During this attack Württemberg’s cavalry charged and overwhelmed the French Gens D’Armes. The French cavalry, having until this point held their own with great élan began to fall back. In the centre the allied infantry assault on Ramillies after some hours of heavy fighting pushed the French Foot out of the village and supported by British cavalry moved on to assault Offuz.

King’s Horse at the Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession French battalions and cavalry regiments attempting to move from the unengaged left to the centre to shore up the breaking line found themselves inextricably entwined with the mass of baggage carts. With the retreat of the cavalry on the right and the expulsion of the French foot from Ramillies and then Offuz, Villeroi’s army retreated all along the line. Pressed hard by the British cavalry the French and Bavarian regiments began to disintegrate and the retreat became a rout. Unlike Blenheim, on this occasion there was a powerful force of fresh cavalry to take up the pursuit and Villeroi’s army was harried over a distance of 20 miles, causing its complete collapse. Pursuit of the French after the Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: picture by Laguerre Casualties at the Battle of Ramillies: Allied casualties were 3,500. French casualties were 13,000.

The whole of the French and Bavarian artillery, 70 guns and mortars, was captured. Follow-up to the Battle of Ramillies: Marlborough’s prompt exploitation of the victory enabled him to take Louvain and the line of the Dyle River from the French. In addition Brussels, Malines, Lerre and Alost surrendered to the allies, followed by Ghent, Bruges, Damme and finally Antwerp and Brussels. Within a fortnight of Ramillies Villeroi had lost almost the whole of Flanders and Brabant to Marlborough and fallen back to the French frontier. Duke of Marlborough leads the British Cavalry into action at the Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession: picture by Richard Caton Woodville: click here to buy this picture Regimental anecdotes and traditions from the Battle of Ramillies: Ramillies was the only battle of the war at which the Duke of Marlborough was not in partnership with the Imperial commander Prince Eugene of Savoy. Prince Eugene was at the time commanding the Imperial army in Italy, defeating the French at the Battle of Turin.

It is claimed that in the assault on Ramillies the Irish Brigade in the French service captured the colours of an English regiment, said to have been the Buffs. The colours were given into the safe keeping of the Irish Sisters of an abbey at Ypres. The Royal Scots Greys under Lord John Hay took part in the overthrow of the Gens D’Armes by Auverqueque’s cavalry. Lord Clare of the Irish Brigade was killed in the battle, as were the Prince de Soubise and Marshal Tallard’s son. The Duchess of Marlborough ensured that Colonel Brinfield’s widow received an annual pension of £100 following the death of her husband while assisting the Duke at the battle. The Dutch regiments, including several Scots regiments in the Dutch service distinguished themselves in the battle. Following the battle, the allied troops took to cocking their hats in the “tricorne” form, known as the “Ramillies cock of the hat”. In addition the soldiers took to plaiting their long hair into the “Ramillies tail”. One of the few British officers taken prisoner at Ramillies was Ensign Gardener.

As colonel of a regiment of dragoons Gardner was killed at the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745 during the Jacobite Rebellion. The Duke of Marlborough’s coach at the Battle of Ramillies 12th May 1706 in the War of the Spanish Succession See the British Battles blog on the tapestries commemorating the Duke of Marlborough’s victories during the War of the Spanish Succession at Blenheim Palace. References for the Battle of Ramillies: Marlborough as military commander by David Chandler Fortescue’s History of the British Army Volume 1. Grant’s British Battles. Sullivan’s Irish Brigades in the Service of France. The previous battle of the War of the Spanish Succession is the Battle of Blenheim The next battle of the War of the Spanish Succession is the Battle of Oudenarde

Question: In which modern day country is the site of the 1706 Battle of Ramillies?
Answer: BELGIUM